Are You Coachable and What Exactly Does that Mean? Podcast #169

Here is my question today; are you coachable? You might be asking, what exactly does that mean?

When someone is coachable, it means you are ready to do whatever it takes to change, to transform your business (or yourself), or to get better at something… whatever that means in your business.

Most people think coaching is mainly for athletes, but that’s not the case. It’s for everyone. I can tell you this; people at all levels of success have coaches. In this show we are going to go over what traits you need in order be coachable, the habits and traits folks have that are not coachable, and what anyone considering investing in coaching should look for in a coach.

Who do You Have “To be” to be Coachable? In order for someone to be coachable they need to be:

Open to receiving constructive criticism

They need to be ready to take responsibility for where they are today, how they got there, and the mistakes they made. Hey, we’ve all made them.

They need to be ready to change.

Ask yourself this, “Is the pain of where you are today worth staying in your comfort zone”?

How do You Know when Someone Isn’t Coachable?

It has been my experience this person is easy to recognize. Here are 6 things to look for.

They are generally not willing to learn new things. They are perfectly comfortable doing things the way they’ve always done them even that isn’t working.

These folks always think they’re right. They will quickly defend their position when you suggest a change or a better or different path.

They may even roll their eyes when you are having a conversation with them.

They are perfectly happy where they are even if “where they are” isn’t getting them the results they say they want.

If they agree to coaching, they will rarely show up with the assignment you gave them.

Folks that aren’t coachable may even be pessimistic, negative, disrespectful.

People that are Coachable are the Exact Opposite

Generally, they are curious, happy, eager to learn new things, and they are willing to invest in their education.

People that are coachable spend a lot of time outside their comfort zone.

Being coachable is NOT, completely giving up your ideas or opinions and blindly following someone else. It does require you to be open to new ideas, and to finding ways to do things that will help you improve or grow.

Someone who is coachable will listen to the coach with the intent to learn rather than show what you know (and be stuck in that way of doing things).

You don’t know everything. You do know that, right? None of us know everything.

Here are 3 More Ways to Know Whether you are Coachable

Do you belong to a peer group where you can openly ask for help, solicit ideas or solutions to problems in your business, or ask your group for ways you can improve?

When someone gives you input, so you pause and think about what they said rather than jump in and defend yourself or your way of doing things?

Have you ever changed the way you do something in the past due to feedback from someone else? In other words, did you listen to them?

What makes a coach a good coach?

In a coaching relationship, the client sets the agenda, not the coach. Coaching is not a structured program like a course. Here are some things you should expect:

Good coaches help clients focus on their areas of biggest concern

They help their students get really clear on what they want, what it will take to get there, and often need to give them some “tough love”.

Coaches help them step outside their comfort zone and take calculated risks.

In order for their students to do that, the coach has to create a safe, trusting environment. They have to have faith in the person coaching them.

I’m not sure who said this but someone said, “Coaches help you discover your own wisdom”.

Courses VS Coaching

In a course, you generally do most of the work yourself, and at your own pace. In a coaching relationship, you will still be doing the work but your coach will be there to guide you down a path of discovery, learning and implementation. So, the client is responsible for setting the agenda and for deciding what it is they need help with or want to learn.

My #1 Tip for Choosing a Coach

When choosing a coach, you definitely want to choose someone that you know has the experience and the skills to teach you what you need to learn. But at the end of the day, you have to be a fit. This person really needs to be someone that you want to take with you on your journey to your final destination.

You Can Listen to the Podcast Here – Are You Coachable?

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